View desktop versions of websites using iOS 8

Mobile websites are usually well designed, retaining the same content and features as the desktop website.

Why do web developers create mobile versions of their websites? There’s a multitude of reasons, but the most common are to ensure iPhone and iPad users don’t struggle to read small text, and that forms and buttons are easy to interact with. However, every now and then a developer might not have done their job properly, meaning the page doesn’t fit on the iPhone screen or features are missing. With iOS 8 you can now tell Safari to request the desktop version of the site, giving you full access to the same website you see on your Mac or PC. Here’s how it’s done:

Open Safari and visit the website. Once it’s finished loading, tap the address bar at the top of the screen to see your bookmarks and most visited sites. Next, swipe the entire panel down with your finger and you’ll see two options appear under the address field: Add to Favorites and Request Desktop Site. Tap the latter button and Safari will re-load the desktop version of the site for you to enjoy.

Note, however, that websites with a responsive design (such as this one) will look the same in both mobile and desktop view. That’s because responsive websites configure their layouts for the browser screen size – not the devices specifications. For an example of responsive design in action, try viewing this website on a desktop computer, then change the size of the browser window. You’ll see all the elements of the website move and change size in response to the browser window in real-time.